Chance Meeting
by nothingstaysthisgoodforever
Summary: Michaela McQueen has been in Thailand for the past 6 months and who should walk into a bar? Craig Dean. This is Craig explaining his side the whole whole McDean split and baby Matthew saga from the show currently. These are 2 of my favourite past characters, so I thought I would write about them. I haven't wrote fic in over 4 years so I am a bit rusty. Forgive me. Hope you enjoy! x


Michaela McQueen sat in a Thailand bar, sipping on her Woo Woo which didn't have half as much vodka as her usual drink standards, but never mind it was cold and she was happy. Josh was off with some lad trying to find them some work handing out nightclub flyers. She knew they couldn't stay here forever, she didn't ever want to think about going back home, to England, Chester. Hollyoaks. The thought of it made her feel very sick and she could not think of anything worse. Her family are not the family she left last year. Too much had changed.

This past year had been a blast. Touring around Europe with the next big thing, Daytona Lights and the chance to be in Thailand with one of her best friends. They were only supposed to be there for 4 weeks. That was in November. It's June now and they still have no plans to leave just yet. She couldn't lie; it hasn't been easy for them what with Rhys' death and not being able to get a flight back. Josh did visit Spain finally in the New Year but had no interest in staying. Josh dropped out of Uni in Sheffield after catching his Fiancée with another man, it broke Josh's heart. So he and his long-time friend Mick's headed for Asia.

A tall, dark haired man, of about 25 walked into the bar just passing Michaela. He was wearing khaki shorts and a cream coloured vest showing off his incredible body and gorgeous tanned skin.

"Well, well, well."

"If it isn't." yelled Michaela, in her usual gobby McQueen airhorn.

Craig recognised that voice instantly.

"Shit" Craig whispered to himself. Not quietly enough however as Michaela heard.

Craig turned round to see her smirking and licking her teeth with her neatly defined eyes, wide at him.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to interrogate you.

I'm just shocked to see you that's all" Said Michaela softly. Which was a rare event.

Did she really mean it though?

"Likewise." Replied Craig

"So what 'ya doing here then?" Asked Michaela curiously.

"Escapism, came here 5 years ago when…" Craig replied

"Yeah, circle of life?" Asked Michaela

"Suppose so. Can I get you a drink?" Asked Craig

"Yeah stick 'is another Woo Woo in there." Michaela yelled handing over her almost empty glass to Craig, her brothers ex.

"Be a minute." Craig said to her with a small smile. Michaela responded with a nod and exhaled breath harshly.

He looked so empty as he walked over to the bar. Michaela knew this was going to be hard.

Craig came back to Michaela's table with the drinks, A Woo Woo cocktail for her and a bottle of local beer for himself.

"Here, I got an extra shot of vodka in for you, I know you like your drinks strong." He said with a smirk looking like her could do with some company and someone appreciating his presence.

"You're a star; the drinks here are like baby formula." Michaela said

Craig gave her an awkward look

"Oh shit, that was. Erm okay." She mumbled awkwardly as the whole reason her brother and long term partner Craig spilt was over a baby, which wasn't their best decision in the world.

"It's fine…" Craig replied trying to hold back the tears.

"For what it's worth I think it's the worst thing he's ever done.

I don't have any contact with him, any of them. I'm not important." Michaela said. Craig could tell this was not going to be easy.

"Me and him, we would've got through the bad patch.

We always did. And we've had plenty of them.

Football. Spike. Kieron. Niall. He went off the rails.

Then when Steph died I was pretty bad too.

We got through all of that.

We graduated and had an amazing holiday and he started training to be a teacher and I got my job working for that company.

We did alright." Craig explained also demonstrating with his hands.

"So what changed this time?" Michaela asked.

"He grew up and I got younger I suppose.

When we were at uni, don't get me wrong I had fun. Nights out, bar crawls, drinking games but I really wanted to do my best and get the grades. I was a year behind everyone else and I wanted to achieve my full potential." Explained Craig

Michaela nodded as if for him to carry on.

"For so long I've wanted to be something, and finally I had someone who actually loved me as much as I love them.

So when we both graduated I start to relax and have fun when maybe, yes I should have started to grow up."

"Not necessarily." Replied Michaela

"Because I was so happy with him, at least that's what I thought; I didn't know what he was planning in this head. I started to go out quite a bit with my work colleagues.

I wanted to be social and not boring."

"What, like John Paul was starting to become? I'm not trying to piss you off, I know he can be a bit snobby!" asked Michaela

"I became really close to one of the girls I worked with. We had similar family problems and she just understood me I suppose."

"And John Paul Didn't?" Asked Michaela. Worrying that her brother had been cheated on.

"No, he understood me like no one else ever could.

I'll be honest. I saw Steph in her and I felt like it was fate, that this girl was brought into my life to, I don't know. As a way of saying my sister is looking down on me making sure I'm okay."

"So did he think you and her were seeing each other?"

"Of course he did, I don't think he could ever grasp that I love him so much and only him. I would never do anything to hurt him. But that's not what everyone thinks now is it?" Craig replied almost in tears and downing his lager to ease the pain this conversation was bringing him.

"So the surrogacy? I just don't get how it would solve anything, you needed to be just you 2 and sort out the jealousy and the partying." Michaela stated.

"We started to move in different directions, he wanted to settle down and become a teacher and I just wanted to enjoy myself finally, it took me long enough.

I just wish he would've trusted me that I was genuine and would've started a family when we were older and had more life experiences."

"Is that the truth?" Asked Michaela. Feeling like she didn't know her brother at all.

"Yes, I always thought we would have a family together, maybe I don't know. I know I still wasn't 100% with the whole sexuality thing, but was certain I loved him and that's enough isn't it? For a child to be happy, all it needs is 2 parents that love each other? We both aren't very experienced in that set up, are we?"

"So if he had just listened to you a bit harder, you would've waited to have this baby and maybe you would still be together." Asked Michaela, confused.

"I don't know. He wanted it and asked Jane and because he was so excited and happy all the time at the thought of our own baby, I kinda played along with it took keep him happy I don't know. Then when the baby was due, I told him I couldn't cope with it. We had a massive argument about how selfish I was and that's when I left."

Michaela nodded.

"I don't expect you to side with me or feel sorry for me. I'm just being honest."

"And what about being a part of Matthew's life?" Michaela asked.

"He did phone me, but I can't. Not because I have no love for him, both of them. Because I do. I would love our baby unconditionally. But it shows me what a coward I am that I couldn't face being a gay parent because I'm so bothered about what other people think of me. I'm just a weak excuse for a human being."

"Whatever you say.

But I think it might start to build bridges and you never know what is around the corner. That's all I'm saying.

Let that sink in."


End file.
